34 
between them. Generally speaking, I think it may be expressed as a 
truth, that if scientific people would have but a little patience the apparent 
discrepancies or disagreements between Scripture and science would is- 
appear. I am sure we shall find in the end that Scripture and s~o 
hand in hand. I am not at all prepared to support and I repudiate the dea 
of two centres of creation. I quite agree with what Mr. Trtcomb has sta ed 
as to the origin or the probable origin of the Negro race. A very familiar 
household event will occur to many of you. It frequently ha W e “ “ 
litter of kittens that one, out of say six young ones, will be of a very ma 
colour and character quite distinct from the rest. Five of them may he > of . a 
brindled or light colour, while the sixth will be entirely ^ The s ame 
thing is also noticeable in other animals-one in alitter or one of a hirthwill 
be of a very marked and decided character, while the others are tota y 
diverse. The same principle might have been borne out m the human 
family. Suppose there was the sudden appearance of a dark-skinned an 
peculiarly bony-structured human being, and it is easy to imagine a^ tom 
that one, exiled most likely from his family, there arose a dark-skmned ra<^ 
But then at the same time I am not disposed to repudiate and put on one 
side the fact of the curse pronounced upon Canaan. I take e wor 
as meaning what the word of God expresses. (Hear hearO Canaan ™ 
debased man- no one could have acted as he did without being a debased 
man, and I think I shall be borne out, though it is but a snPPOin' non 
in saying that he would have been exiled from the family of Noah after the 
exit from the ark. There could have.been little communion Stem 
and Japhet and Canaan. I think that, exiled from the .family of 
preacher of righteousness, his debasing influence would have been perpctuat d 
and increased ; and as we know that the principal porfton of Africa is peopled 
by his direct descendants, that mental debasement which was so app»ent m 
Canaan has been perpetuated in his descendants. But there is ^ anot 
point which must not be lost sight of-that where that mental ; 
even in this city of London, is apparent, there is also an apparent , “m 
of the structural frame. And now the question is for you to settle and n 
for me, I have but given yon a mere thought which has come across my mind 
LTis for wiser bids than mine to follow out that thought^whc her the 
debasement of the Negro may not be traced to that malediction 
pronounced upon Canaan, who was himself a debased ^ 
consequent on the separation, after the exit from the ark, which took pla 
between the debased on the one side, and the righteous on the other, the 
dtteed was not exposed to more debasing influence, and the debased mind 
showed itself very strongly in a debased frame. 
^ The Chairman. — As time is pressing, I will make only a few remark to 
close the discussion. I am sure we should all have regretted very much if 
he gentteman who has last spoken had not addressed us. I 
what he has said about the curse of Canaan, for it seems to ml .to to* 
the key to the whole subject. But I must notice the remarks winch ^ 
been made upon the paper by others in their proper order. The observation 
